As we have settled into longer family car trips, we have created a certain rhythm and ritual that goes along with each journey. We load up the Ipod with a playlist of great traveling songs. Usually, I try to find a song or two that relates to the states we will be visiting. We make sure we have plenty of entertainment for the big kids and bag full of quiet toys for the baby. On our way out of town, we stop and get a small drink for everyone at Sonic . Then we are off.
Kids plugged In~ Notice the glassy eyed stares |
It doesn’t take long for me to kick my shoes off and prop my feet up on the dashboard. The barefooted, toe tapping tunes play in the background. Soon, the kids are plugged into video games, or engrossed in a movie. A little bit later, the baby drifts off to sleep. Then, it’s just silence and a long stretch of road.
That long stretch of road is a golden opportunity to spend some time on live blogging. Writing down our stories as they are happening gives a fresh and fun perspective, and is a welcome change from playing catch up months after a trip has ended.
Today’s drive will take us as far as Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am poised to play “Oklahoma” as we cross the Texas/Oklahoma state line. I am expecting to get a fair amount of eye rolling and complaining, as I gleefully belt out the lyrics. Ooooooooooooooo-Klahoma! Here we come!